Can Meat and Potatoes Be Intense?

I am really not a meat and potatoes girl.   For reasons described here earlier though, I decided it was time for a little weekend indulgence.    Warning, what is about to follow is intense.  

Funny thing about the word 'intense'.   Our sommelier in Paris took a particular liking to it, describing his keen fascination with America's over usage of the word "intense" to describe absolutely everything.
Think about it.   It is actually quite funny.

Found this definition in the Merriam Webster dictionary:

• 1a existing in the extreme degree
• 1b having or showing characteristic in extreme degree

• 2 marked by or expressive of great zeal, energy, determination or concentration

• 3a exhibiting strong feeling or earnestness of purpose
• 3b deeply felt

So, in honor of Olivier, my question for you is, can meat and potatoes truly be described as intense?

We thought so, but will let you be the judge.   Our menu tonight comes from Epicurious and The Pioneer Woman.    I made only minor modifications to the recipes, so in this case, going to give credit where credit is due and refer you to the originals if you'd like to try these yourself.  

Grilled Porterhouse Steak with Paprika Parmesan Butter

Notes:    We made this with a sirloin and a ribeye instead.   Turned out perfectly.   Most importantly though, if you make this recipe, whatever you do, you need to drastically reduce the salt.    The recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of salt in the marinade.  I used 1 Teaspoon and we still found it salty.   Other than that, this was a fabulous marinade and coupled with the smokey paprika butter, which we loved, resulted in a very 'intense' piece of meat.

Crash Hot Potatoes

Notes:    I actually make these all the time.   The recipe is super easy and always results in excellent potatoes that are crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle with just the right amount of seasoning.   I used fresh rosemary and thyme for herbs.    Soooooo good.

Served with grilled asparagus that got a tiny bit overdone on the grill but was the perfect companion for this meal.   Maybe if I had been watching the grill instead of trying to take pictures of it, we might have avoided this situation.

All in all, a success.   Just what the doctor ordered.    With that said, my fiance, who actually is a doctor, wanted me to remind everyone that this is definitely one of those things that falls into the "all things in moderation" category.  I don't know about you, but it is probably safe to say that the melting slab of paprika Parmesan butter on the ribeye should be reserved for special occasions (or maybe those requiring "just a little bit of intensity").    

Perhaps the upcoming Labor Day weekend?

Happy Grilling!